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Wednesday, 9 April 2014

Robotic kangaroo generates its own energy

Automation company Festo has yet again turned to nature to make a gesture-controlled robotic kangaroo that stores and uses the kinetic energy of its own motion.

German robotics company Festo achieved a lot of cool cred with its dragonfly-inspired BionicOpter, but currently it's become to a small degree more earthy. Festo's latest project isn't solely galvanized by a additional terrestrial creature, it is a terrestrial creature from down under: our very own national animal, the kangaroo.

The one-metre tall, 7kg Bionic Kangaroo does not move quite as smoothly as its natural counterpart, however it'smany different moves up its chassis. after over 2 years of development, the finished mechanism uses a mixture of elastic tendons, pneumatics and servos to breed the energy-efficient leaping movements the animal is knownfor.

Each leg houses a gas cylinder and an elastic tendon. once the mechanism is activated, the tendons are pre-tensed, and it leans its body forward, shifting its centre of gravity. when the right angle for ideal rate is reached, the gas cylinders unleash the tendons, and therefore the mechanism leaps into the air. Servos move the legs forward andelevate the tail for the foremost aerodynamic form whereas mobile.

When the robot lands, the sinew tenses once more, changing the kinetic energy of the jump into keep energy (using lithium polymer rechargeable batteries, which might even be charged externally) for subsequent jump.because it continues jumping, it continues exploitation the energy from the previous jumps, similar to a true kangaroo.

And it may be controlled using gestures. The team fitted the robot with Bluetooth, through which it will communicate with the Myo gesture control bracelet.

Like the Bionic Opter, though, the Bionic Kangaroo will not be made commercially offered. The robot is a proof-of-concept that demonstrates a combination of gas and electric drive technology, and therefore the rather exciting energy recovery and storage. however {you will|you'll|you'll be able to} take a glance at what it can do in the video below.

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